How To Become A Film Writer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a film writer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

Anna Mae Duane

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a film writer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $26.64 an hour? That's $55,403 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 5,900 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Film Writer?

Anna Mae Duane

Professor of English and Director of the Humanities Institute, Website

The idea that English majors are not in demand is a myth—don’t harm your own chances by buying into it! There are numerous studies—and countless employer testimonies—that indicate how valuable your skills as an English major are. English majors consistently find work in a variety of fields, and perhaps even more important, alumni of English departments report that they find their jobs and lives rewarding. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 'what sets two equally qualified job candidates apart can be as simple as who has the better communication skills.' You are, in many ways, ahead of the game in comparison to others in your cohort. I’d also urge English majors to think broadly about their career options. Yes, fields like journalism, publishing and advertising all rely on the skills developed in English departments. But other employers, particularly in tech companies, have realized how valuable English majors can be to their organization. As a recent report in Fortune indicates, top executives in AI at IBM and elsewhere realize that having expertise in the Humanities is an essential component for success in their field.

ScoreFilm WriterUS Average

Salary

4.3

Avg. Salary $55,403

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

3.4

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.36%

Asian 5.07%

Black or African American 6.20%

Hispanic or Latino 7.96%

Unknown 5.42%

White 74.98%

Gender

female 39.25%

male 60.75%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress Level

3.4

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.4

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a film writer

Explore film writer education requirements

Most common film writer degrees

Bachelor's

78.6 %

Master's

10.7 %

Associate

3.6 %

Start to develop specific film writer skills

Skills	Percentages
Documentary Film	100.00%

Research film writer duties and responsibilities

Supervise casting and communicate with producer to access props, costumes, and set pieces and to manage the budget.
Create a nationally-recognize original improv, sketch, and musical performance group.
Perform advanced communication tasks including writing, editing, segment producing, and photography.
Develop and create content strategies by leveraging SEO and social media to maximize website visibility and build regular readership.

Prepare your film writer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your film writer resume.

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